Korekiyo Takahashi

Korekiyo Takahashi (27 July 1854-26 February 1936) was Prime Minister of Japan from 13 November 1921 to 12 June 1922, succeeding Uchida Kosai and preceding Tomosaburo Kato, and from 15 to 26 May 1932, succeeding Tsuyoshi Inukai and preceding Makoto Saito.

Biography
Korekiyo Takahashi was born on 27 July 1854 in Edo, Japan during the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate. In 1867 he headed to the United States but performed only menial labor; in 1868 he returned home and taught English. He also failed in opening a silver mining enterprsie in Peru, but he worked with the Bank of Japan and in 1898 was promoted to its Vice-President. Takahashi became involved in politics in 1913 when he was appointed Minister of Finance, and in 1921 he was chosen as the new Prime Minister after the assassination of Takashi Hara; like Hara, he was a Christian and the second Christian prime minister of Japan. In 1922 he left office due to his lack of a power base, but he helped Japan in the Great Depression by decreasing military expenditure and abandoning the gold standard. His actions against the military led to his assassination on 26 February 1936 alongside Prime Minister Makoto Saito in Tokyo in the February 26 Incident.